The Leopards Shadow
by bleeding stars
Summary: I promise a summary when I think of one suiting for this story. Read it, I don't think you'll be disappointed
1. Default Chapter

She paced, head low between her shoulders and large paws unsheathed front claws to dig into the frozen ground with every angry step. Blue eyes narrowed and looked at the people that huddled along the castle wall in fright as her maw opened to release an unhappy growl. Rounded white and black spotted ears flattened against sleek head-fur while her long tail whipped the air behind her. _How dare he?_ She growled once more, whiskers turning downwards as she frowned. _How dare he brush me off like some circus freak?_ She was none too happy and made sure that the people near her knew it again as she opened her mouth and roared wildly.

The night wind pushed snow into her face as if answering her bitter cry of resentment, the frozen water partials stinging fiercely blue eyes, forcing the raging beast to shake her head. Stalking up to an empty wall of the castle, she reared up on hind legs and clawed at the frost decorated ivy, snagging it in her dark claws.

"Please, forgive the Master." A woman called from the side, ducking her head as fierce blue orbs swung her way. "He does not know what he is thinking sometimes."

_How dare he mock me? Mock my kind!_ She snarled again, chest heaving as her claws dug deeper into the ground. _He knows that I am one of the last! One of the last of my **people** and he brushes me off!_ People trembled as she stepped nearer, tail fanning the snow around her as she swayed it back and forth. The night was cool and the longer she stayed outside, the colder her heart became.

"Please. He shall return and then shall explain where he has been."

Snorting the creature raised her massive front paws and started to box in the air, fighting against some invisible opponent. They were scared of her, the people that worked in the castle, and rightfully so for some had tried to tame the beast while she was worked up in a frenzy and came away worse for wear; some baring the mark of the leopardess for the rest of their lives. An owl hooted off the distance and then it hooted again, this time closer. Large wings flapped loudly as the snowy owl landed a few feet away from the enraged snow leopard. Black eyes watched the feline snarl, breath coming out in large puffs of steam from the black nose, and hooted again, this time softly.

A white light surrounded the owl and some people gasped as feathers melted into skin, figure growing larger and larger with each beat of its heart when finally it stopped and the light faded. "Milady! Thank goodness you are here!"

A thick cape of ebony hair swung over a lightly tanned back while dark brown eyes never left the seething animal. "How long has she been like this?"

A woman stepped forward, fingers quickly unclasping the hooded cloak from about her shoulders to swing over the naked figure of the woman in front of them. Nodding her head in thanks, she stepped towards the large cat, hands out and voice cooing softly. "Come inside with me Lady Bulma. You're going to catch your death outside."

_Death?_ The cat roared, knowing that no one understood her growling snarls. _Death? I shall show you death on this eve! I shall show you the true meaning of death and what it brings! No dearest Chi-Chi, I shall not come with you inside. _

"Come inside." Chi-Chi cooed again, stepping forward again. "Come inside and let's soothe away your anger." She jumped back when a large paw swung at her threateningly. "Quit being so bloody stubborn!" The woman growled, ivory teeth flashing in the night. "Either you come inside _right_ now, or I'll have one of the men bring me my darts!" she threatened, and relaxed visibly when the angry cat-woman stopped her growling.

_You are one foul woman. And I call you my friend. Very well, I shall come inside with you but be careful, as my tongue is calling for the taste of blood and I have no fear spilling some of yours my dear._ Great paws sheathed their claws and with another massive roar, she took off towards the garden entrance and up stony steps.

"I am going to need the full story from one of you in a few minutes. Elizabeth, fetch me my box and bring it to Lady Bulma's room."

"Right away Miss." The woman bowed before taking off into the large building to do as her Mistress and told her.

Chi-Chi turned on bare feet and padded inside and up wide red carpeted stairs and ran down the hall, dark green cape and her black hair waving behind her as her shapely legs carried her to another set of stairs which she took two at a time. By now, the angry feline should be in her room, pacing back and forth.

But she was wrong. Deadly wrong.

Blood greeted her as she flew into the blue and silver room forcing her running figure to skid to a halt. Crimson stained the white maw, chunks of flesh hanging limply from red teeth as blue eyes rolled into the back of her head. A large gash on chest was pulsating blood onto the floor. A scream tore from Chi-Chi's lips, echoing throughout the halls. Booted feet were heard running up the steps, coming all around her.

"Milady!"

"I need my box **_NOW_**." Chi-Chi screamed, flying to the wounded cat.

"Move, please move... excuse me...move please! Get out of my way!" Elizabeth cried out, elbowing her way into the room only to let out a frightened cry of her own. She ran to Chi-Chi's side and ripped off the lid to the decorated wooden box and pushed it at Chi-Chi who was now trying to stop the blood from flowing freely with the cloak.

"Hot water, lots of it. I need clean linen. MOVE YOU FOOLS!" She shouted without turning her attention to the quickly staining material. It seemed that with each beat of Bulma's heart, more blood filled the cloak. It had to be stopped at all costs. "Elizabeth, I need a needed and thread." She held out a red hand to await the objects and growled when the woman placed a small embroidery needle and a spool of thread into her hands. "No, you moron, I need a thicker needle and I need it threaded with stronger thread!"

Elizabeth whimpered, green eyes watering as her pale fingers shook while trying to poke the end of the thickest thread from the box into an even thicker needle-eye. Unraveling at least a meter and a half of it, she broke it off and tied a firm knot at the end. Chi-Chi ripped it from her fingers and pulled back the material to reveal the wound. Taking a breath, she pinched the seams of the opened flesh together and forced the needlepoint through the thick skin and quickly pulled it the thread through.

Bulma growled weakly, trying to move away as footsteps once more pounded up the stairs. "Geoffrey, I need you to held hold her down." She spoke to the man that had placed a large wooden bowl beside Chi-Chi. She was glad when he didn't protest, kneeling down at Bulma's shoulders to hold her steady while her skin was being stitched back together.

Nimble fingers flew rapidly as they did their task and once the pelt was sewn back together, Chi- Chi placed a piece of white linen into the hot water and sponged the wound clean. She would have liked to have cleaned the wound before it was stitched up, but there was no way she was going to risk her friend losing more blood.

"There is nothing more we can do for her, save a numbing potion that will help ease the pain and bring on sleep. For that I shall need some more water this time. Elizabeth, I'll need some herbs from the little silver box."

Geoffrey ran back out from the room and returned moments later out of breath, clutching a wooden mug in his hands. Chi-Chi took the silver box from Elizabeth and added three pinches to the steaming water before swirling it together. Lifting up the leopardess' head, she tilted it back and poured the scalding drink into her mouth. Most of the dribbled out, and what didn't stayed on the rough pink tongue. "Damn it!"

She poured more in, this time clamping her mouth shut, and after setting the cup down, rubbed Bulma's throat, forcing her to swallow. Her efforts were rewarded as Bulma swallowed, and the process was repeated until the whole cup was gone.

"Is the Lady going to be all right?" Elizabeth asked worriedly.

"Yes." Chi-Chi said, praying that her words would come true. The flesh poked out from underneath top lips and she took it between her fingers, yanking down quickly to dislodge it from between sharp teeth. The flesh itself was a piece of pelt, shaggy black fur matted down with blood and saliva. _Whoever did this meant to kill Bulma._ _I need to talk with Damian before he goes to sleep._ "Where is the Lord and Master?"

"Milord Damian went out for his hunt after he awoke. I suspect that he should be back soon." Geoffrey informed her.

"Take the fastest horse and see if you can track him down. Tell him that it's important that he return right away, even if he has yet to feed. We need him _now_."

"Aye Milady." He took off once more leaving Chi-Chi and Elizabeth alone with the sleeping Bulma.

"Is she going to shift down?"

Brown eyes looked into Elizabeth's heart shaped face full of worry. Blonde hair was coming undone from the thick braid she always held it in. "I do not know. I suspect that she will any time now, but I do not know. There is nothing more I can do here. I am going to wait for Damian downstairs. You stay with her, build up the fire and keep her warm. If she starts to shiver or the wound reopens, call me."

"Yes Milady."

Chi-Chi stood up in all her naked glory and turned from the room to walk down the hall into her own. Bathing the blood from her hands, she pulled on a dressing robe of dark purple, tying the golden sash around her waist tightly and then padded back downstairs, the black flesh clutched tightly in her fist. Minutes ticked away slowly as she paced back and forth in the front hall, eyes darting to and fro constantly. _What if Damian doesn't arrive until just before dawn?_ She feared silently.

Front doors flew open, snow rushing in to press her dressing gown around her leg. "Damian!" She breathed, rushing forward.

He rushed forward, pasty fingers wrapping around her hands, blue eyes showing signs of worry. "I saw Geoffrey. What's happened?"

"Your..." she hiccuped, tears threatening to break from her eyes. "Lady Bulma has been attacked."

"Attacked? How? When?" He stepped closer to Chi-Chi, eyes peering into hers as if trying to extract the answers to his unspoken questions.

"Just... moments ago. We don't know how. She was in quite the uproar when I came back from my flight and she came inside and I was right after her. I found her in her room, bleeding to death."

"My god!"

"Wait! There's more. She...she took a bite out of whoever was trying to murder her." She pulled her hand away, uncurling her fingers to show him the piece of skin in her palm.


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: I know it's been a while and I'm sorry. Some want to know a little more about Damian and wanted to know if I could put his history in this chapter but I'm not going to go and spoil the story. Someone in this chapter knows who he is... giggles But I'm not telling any more. No, nothing is said about Damian here, but you just wait and see._

**The Leopards Shadow**

Sweat collected on her brow, arms and legs moving restlessly in her sleep as a burning pain blanketed over her body. A moan escaped from her lips as she tossed, causing more pain to course over her all ready pained body. She vaguely heard voices around her, hands pressing themselves against her brow.

Pain was spreading throughout the room, she could taste it with every breath she drew in, and yet she didn't know what there was to panic about. No matter how hard she tried, her eyes wouldn't open and her arms only moved when they felt like it not when she told them too. Something wasn't right. Something wasn't right at all.

Another moan came from her and people moved quicker around her. Orders were shouted all over the room, restraints were placed around her wrists as she felt a warming pressure coming from her nails. No! She body all but screamed at her, the pressure stopped the moment her mind revolted against it. She was weak and had no clue why.

Hot liquid was passed into her mouth and she had no choice but to swallow it. Bitterness ran over her tongue, threatening to choke her if she didn't swallow, the foul taste trickling into her stomach. The pain was quickly replaced with a relaxing sensation and she found herself slipping deeper into the darkness that had already placed a firm hold over her body.

Chi-Chi sighed deeply, fingers grasping a thin silver glass tightly for a moment before setting it down on the silver-tinted table beside the canopy bed. Padded leather cuffs were wrapped around Bulma's wrists, their ends tethered to the posts to keep her arms out and pulled tautly so the limbs wouldn't thrash around.

Elizabeth hovered in the doorway, lips opening and closing before shaking her head. "If you want to say something, feel free to do it."

"I'm just worried about the Lady Bulma. It's been almost a week since she was attacked and yet she has yet to wake from her sleep. Is she going to be all right?"

Brown eyes looked over the body of her maid, sadness filling her thoughts. "Come here Elizabeth." She spoke softly, beckoning the woman closer to the bed. Gripping the dark blue quilt that was thrown across the bed, Chi-Chi pulled it down to bare Bulma's milky torso. Green eyes fell between the middle of the woman's breasts and widened in horror at the sight of the black veins that seemed to have webbed out from no where to spread from collar bone all the way down to her navel.

"What...?"

"Poison, I think. I don't know, Damian doesn't know...no one does save for one person."

"Who?"

"The person that tried to kill Bulma."

Damian burst through the door walking to the large bed in few steps. "How is she?"

"Not well. We've had to restrain her to keep from scratching at her skin. I don't know what to do with her Milord..."

"Do everything that you can. I'm going to be away for a while," He shook his head, holding up a large hand as his blonde locks swept over his back. "I'm going to see if there's anyone out in the neighboring cities that knows how to cure what ails my fiancee."

"But it's too dang– " The rest of the sentence stopped in mid air as Damian left the room with a snap of his billowing cape. "Men!" She growled, throwing her own hands into the air as she jerked the covers back over Bulma's sweating form. "I've tried everything I can think of save draining her almost to death and replacing the lost blood with that of her own kind."

"But isn't she one of the last?"

"Yes! That's why I haven't tried it now isn't it?" Chi-Chi snapped, eyes flaring. "If there was another of Bulma's kind, do you not think I would have tried that all ready? Honestly woman, use that head of yours!"

Elizabeth broke out into tears and fled from the room with her hands covering her face. Perhaps she had been too harsh on the woman, but the strain that was on her mind wouldn't let up until Damian found a cure. There had to be one out there, there just had to be.

_Please, to whoever can hear these silent prayers of mine...please send forth the remeady to what ails my friend quickly. Please, I beg of you. I'll do whatever it is that you want me to do if you just spare her life._

But what she didn't expect was her prayers to be answered as quickly as they were. Night was in full reign now as the moon hung high in the sky only allowing a few more hours of precious darkness before the sun rose to take her sisters' spot in the sky and by then, she hoped that Damian would have found a good hiding place to keep out of the light.

Another handful of hours passed as her weary, blood-sot eyes flew to look out the window once more. Pink was starting to fight its way against the midnight blue, lightening it with every passing moment. Dawn was coming, and coming quickly. Fear tightened its grip on her throat as she ran to the window and threw it open. Surely Damian would have found a resting place long by now, but there was still that lingering fear that he hadn't.

The sound of pounding hooves reached her ears through the open window and due to her particularly good hearing, she knew that they were still far off but heading quickly in the direction of the castle. _Callers, at this time in the night?_ Dashing to the wash stand that was set up for her purposes, she splashed cool water onto her face and quickly wiped the liquid off with a cloth before quickly looking back to the bed where the bound Bulma lay. Chewing fiercely on her bottom lip, she took off down the hall and ran down the stairs, careful not to trip over the hem of her dark green dress. Jumping from the last three steps, she flew around the corner, the soles of her slippers skidding, forcing her to hold onto the corner of the wall for support, Chi-Chi ran into a strong chest and almost fell backwards if it hadn't been for a pair of strong hands to catch her.

"Watch it Miss!"

"Lucas! I need someone to go upstairs and look after Bulma. There is someone coming to the castle and I have to get outside before they come here and see who they are, and what their purpose is!"

The aging man nodded his head and turned around quickly, "Make sure you put on a thick cloak. It's cold outside."

Chi-Chi nodded her head, thankful at once that her hip-length hair was bound up tightly against the back of her neck. Quick feet carried her into the cloak room where she tugged down her winter cloak. Black in color, though the hood and underside of the cape were lined with white and black feathers, feathers that she had molted from years before.

Damian had been kind enough to get a seamstress to sew them on so they were all laying down flat against her back, and the poor woman was almost ready to cry when the cloak was handed to Chi-Chi. Throwing the broad piece of material over her shoulders, nimble fingers quickly clasped it around her throat, and as she drew up the hood she raced outside.

She could see the horses, large black beasts that were almost ready to collapse with the effort of running such a long way in the snow. There were six of them all in total, all stallions, all black, and all panting for air when they were pulled to a halt in front of her. The carriage that they were came to a rolling stop and just as it have finished moving, the door flew open.

A man jumped down, his hair in a spiky mess as his large figure landed with a thud, feet slipping slightly on a patch of black ice. White feathers danced across her view as she started to walk towards the open door when the man rushed right passed her and started running up the steps.

"Excuse me but can I help you with something?" She asked calmly.

Startled, he turned around and almost fell down the steps as his dark eyes fell on the tall woman standing protected against the cold air with the most unusual cloak. "Please, my... my friend is wounded..."

"Wounded? Bring him inside, quickly now!" Picking up the hem of her dress she bounced up the steps and into the house. "Geoffrey!" She shouted, voice echoing throughout the vast halls until the man being beckoned came running from wherever he had been. "I need another room prepared right now, it's important. Stock the fires, hot water, my box, and clean bandages. There is a man outside whose friend is injured. Also, send someone else to prepare another three rooms and have Leon tend to the horses outside."

"Yes Milady." He ran around the castle, ordering people about, his favorite thing to do before jogging up the stairs and down the hall. He faltered for a moment as to where the injured person should stay and decided without a second thought that they should stay in the room next to Bulma's so Chi-Chi, the resident healer, didn't have to walk up and down the stairs all the time. Making sure not to disturb the sick Bulma, he quickly stocked the fire and forced it into a raging frenzy to fight back the chill from the room.

Women scurried in and out of the room, placing bowls of steaming hot water along side the bed, filling up the broad table with bandages and water. He quickly pulled down the scarlet bed covering and fluffed up red and gold pillows. He heard Chi-Chi calling for him and ran down the stairs.

"The room beside the Lady." He panted out of breath.

Unclasping her cloak she nodded and as she tossed the winter garment to him, she looked behind her to make sure that the man she had talked to previously was following her. "Right this way. I'll show you where the room is and then you can arrange to have your friend brought inside. I don't know how wounded he is, but I know I can heal him."

"Thank you." He followed her swaying form up the stairs, down the hall, and up another flight of stairs into the awaiting red and gold room.

"I hope that this is adequate enough."

"If you can heal him in this room, then this is just fine. But why so far upstairs?"

Dark eyes met as they looked at each other. "I have another person to look after. She's right through that door." Nodding her head, he followed her gaze to the door that joined the two rooms together.

"Right."

"So bring him up and I'll be in that room."

Chi-Chi walked to the closed door and opened it, stepping inside the blue and silver room to check on Bulma. Moments later, she heard footsteps running down, and then up the stairs. It was going to be a long, long day. Bulma moaned in her drug-induced sleep, head tossing and turning as she tried to pull her arms free from the binds that held her hands away from her chest, torso lifting up off of the bed as fingers clawed aimlessly at the air.

Hushed voices came from the other room and as Chi-Chi dipped a cloth into a bowl of cool water, she tried to listen to what the people were saying. She caught the voice of a woman, panic and anger rising from her and yet no matter how good her hearing was, she couldn't make out what was being said. Quickly sponging off the sweat from her friends' forehead, she ran the damp cloth over the feverish flesh of the slender, pale neck and pulled the blanket back to swab at the poison-mark.

An pained cry came from the next room, forcing her to jump to and look to Elizabeth who had fallen asleep in a chair against the wall. The cry had startled her out of the light sleep that she was in and when her green eyes snapped open she looked instantly guilty. "I'm sorry Milady. I didn't mean to doze off like that."

"It's all right, there is a man in the next room, wounded but to what extent I have yet to see. Find someone to come and look after Bulma. You go down to the kitchens and have Marie make some strong tea. Lots of it."

"Yes Milady."

With the rustling of the hunter green dress, she moved smoothly into the other room to observe the people huddled around the bed. "If you'd all move and step away from the wounded, then I shall be able to tend to his wounds."

The two men stepped away but the woman stayed, head turning to glare at Chi-Chi. Milky pink eyes stared at the healer from under a fringe of dusky pink hair. "Kill him, or cause him harm in any way, wench, and I shall make sure that I have your heart beating its last beat in my hand."

"Just try it. You are the guest in this castle, not I. Now move or he _shall_ die."

Muttering under her breath, the pink-haired lady stepped away and went to stand with the tall black haired man, along with a short bald one. The heat from the fire radiated outwards towards the room casting its flickering glow along the walls. Panting from the bed, covers drawn up to slim hips, a man lay, bleeding from an open stab would to his left side. "How long ago was he stabbed?"

"No more than a half hour passed." The woman sneered

"Did you see who stabbed him?"

"No." The taller man and the woman replied at the same time.

Looking at the angry gash her eyes were drawn to a small black dot that was slowly growing bigger by the moment on a piece of the tattered flesh. Lifting up her right leg and yanking the skirt up to her hip, she quickly unsheathed the dagger that she kept there for emergencies and cut away the blackened flesh.

"You wench!" The woman shrieked as Chi-Chi walked to the fireplace and tossed the chunk of skin into the burning embers.

"Call me that again, and you shall be escorted out of this room with the print of my fist on your cheek. Gentlemen, if you'd kindly restrain that woman before I have to do something that'll cause her harm."

Dove grey sleeved arms were gripped roughly by the two men, holding the woman back. An angry scowl formed on plump lips as she was pinned to the spot. "Filthy trollop." She hissed.

Black brows knit themselves together as Chi-Chi looked over the man on the bed, hand holding a thick wad of linen over the bleeding wound. "It's not to serious. Did any of you see what the person looked like that attacked this man?"

There came no replies. "I'll take that as a no." Fingers left the material that was covering the wound and quickly threaded a needle. Pinching the flesh together, she stitched it up rather quickly and washed her hands after applying a thin layer of a clear balm to the stitching.

"What does it matter if we saw the person or not?" The woman spat out.

Chi-Chi turned on her and took a few steps closer. "What's your name?"

"Keniko."

"Keniko, that blade that the man was stabbed with was poisoned."

"But how do you know that? Who are you anyway?"

Coughing, Chi-Chi lifted her head and tossed away the rag she had dried her hands with. Slim fingers wound themselves around the grey covered arm, yanking her away from the two men. Keniko let out a startled yelp and tried to jerk her arm free but found that the digits around her limb contracted harder. She stalked into the blue and silver room and to the bed. Making sure that the pink-haired woman could see, Chi-Chi pulled back the covers that were over Bulma.

Pink eyes widened as they looked upon the laying figure, arms held away from her body and bound with leather that was tied to two of the posts of the bed. A black mark was spread over the milky chest, web-like veins filled with poison. "_That_ is how I know."

"Let.Me.Go."

Fingers removed themselves as Chi-Chi turned and walked into the other room, followed by a fuming Keniko. "I am Countess Chichandra. Chi-Chi for short. I am a healer and right now this Mistress of the castle. Lord Gale is not around and shouldn't be for the next few nights."

The black haired man licked his lips. "Lady Chi-Chi, forgive Keniko's hostile ways but she is just worried for her fiancee. We all were. I am Goku and he's Krillin. He doesn't talk."

Elizabeth walked in with a large silver tray filled with a full tea set, and a heaping plate of steaming scones. "I thought you'd be hungry Milady. You've yet to eat something since the Lady has fallen ill."

"Thank you Elizabeth. But if you'd kindly take the tea and these people into my sitting room, I'd gladly appreciate it. I'm going to check on Bulma before I go and sit down."

"Yes Miss. Please, if you'd all kindly follow me."

Goku turned and looked at Chi-Chi, the poor woman falling asleep on her feet. "Are you sure you don't need any help?"

"Not that I know of."

"Then I'll stay and keep you company while you look over your friend."

Krillin looked at Goku and shook his head slowly before following the blonde woman out, Keniko walking out of the room without so much as a glance over her shoulder to her wounded fiancee. "If you're sure..."

Picking up a handful of her skirts, she turned with one smooth motion and walked across the room and into Bulma's room. "Who is she?" Goku asked slowly, looking down into the pale face of the azure haired woman. Blue lashes were spread against the tops of her cheeks, light bronze freckles dusted the bridge of her nose and cheeks.

"Lady Bulma Leopaw." She slowly moved a wet cloth over Bulma's heated flesh. Her head turned his way and that, damp bangs plastering themselves to the moist brow. Working the blanket down, she uncovered the black mark and sponged it off. Goku adverted his eyes before he realized that Chi-Chi was talking to him. "You see the mark? T'was a poison tip that has made this and there is nothing that I can do for her. I have tried everything and yet there is nothing. Damian has left us for a while to see if he can find a cure for his soon-to-be-bribe."

"How long has he been out looking?"

"Not for to long. He left a few hours before you arrived. I wish I knew where he was, but haven't been able to get out and send word to him. But what about that man? Who is he?"

"His name is Vegeta. Any more than that, and I'll be giving away secrets. I do hope that you understand Lady Chi-Chi."

She nodded her head, pushing back a stray lock of hair that fell down her face. "I understand. We all have our secrets do we not? I just wish I knew what to do for my friend. You see, she is getting weaker and weaker. Her stomach rejects anything we try to give it and that mark...that mark is surely going to kill her!" Tears pricked at burning eyelids as she fought with the tears that wanted to be let free.

Goku rushed to her side and placed a large hand on her quivering shoulder. "Hush now, let's go and get a cup of tea into you."

"I...I shall be right with you. I'm going to go and check on your friend quickly. Wait for me out in the hall."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure Lord Goku, I'll be all right."

He stepped away from her after allowing his fingers to tighten momentarily before walking out of the room. Lightly stepping between the doors she looked to the wounded man and clicked the tip of her tongue against her teeth. Blankets were sliding down his right hip allowing the firelight to flicker off gleaming, well muscled upper thigh. Pulling the cover back over his hip, she let out a startled yelp as a furry black appendage wrapped itself around her wrist. Dark eyes roamed up his features to widen even more at the sight of slightly rounded feline ear-tips twisting on top of his head. Jerking her head away, she turned from the room and stormed into the hallway to stop in front of the obviously startled looking Goku.

"Lady Chi..." He was cut off as a slender index finger was pointed at his face.

"You dare keep such a secret from me?"

"I...I don't know what you mean..." He licked suddenly very dry lips.

"I know full well Goku that you know _exactly_ what I'm talking about. You dare keep from me that he is part of the _Kingarni_?" (_were-panther_)

Shaking his head, Goku held up his hands, "Listen to me, it's not that I withheld it, but if people knew his...wait, how did you know what he is?"

"I know, because I am not stupid. Bulma is _Kinlarni (were-leopard)_, one of the last few of her tribe. They have said that there is another being such as herself somewhere that knows of a great secret, but someone tried to kill her, much like they did with your friend. Only he was in his human form, and she wasn't."

"You mean to tell me that this....assassin attacked Bulm..."

"_Lady_."

"Attacked Lady Bulma while she was shifted, and lived?"

"Yes." She was getting annoyed and tapped her foot, arms crossing over her breasts while she glared.

"Vegeta would never let someone live after that."

That was all she could take. Storming into Bulma's room she went to the opened window and stood on the ledge. Goku looked at her and started to run forward as she stepped back. The wind whipped the dress about her legs and with a final step and a cry from Goku she was gone. Running to the window he looked down and expected to see Chi-Chi's broken body lying in the snow below but only saw her dress.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Four:**

Her large wings carried her long and far over the vast plains of white. Towns passed under her wing-tips as she flew quickly, fueled by nothing more than her anger. She wasn't angry at Goku, though she had thought she was, but more angry at herself. Her hooted greetings to other night birds such as herself were returned and when she passed over forested terrain, she thought she saw a figure moving under the cloak of the trees. Swooping down to get a better look, she landed on a thick branch, talons closing and digging into the bark of the limb she was perched on.

The figure walked under her, long blonde hair glimmering with the shadowed light from the high moon. It moved slowly, almost weakly, as it rested with its back to the tree. Hooting softly, she looked into blue eyes. Rustling breast feathers with her beak, she waited for him to call her down.

"I can see you Chi, and I know that you can see me..."

Letting go of the branch, she dove towards the ground and opened her wings at just the right moment and touched down onto the snow rather lightly. She shifted easily, thankful for the warm cloak that was held out to her. "Damian."

"Any news? How is she?"

"The same as she was before you left..."

"Then why have you come out here?"

"To tell you that we have some...guests staying with us."

This caught his attention and flicked a stray lock of golden hair behind his ear. "Who are they, and what are they doing there in the first place?"

"There are three men, and a woman. One is wounded and the other two brought him to the castle. But I have to tell you that he's Kingarni."

"And that means what to me?" His voice wavered. Something wasn't right.

"It means that he's of the same species as Bulma. I thought you knew about all of this before?"

"Maybe...perhaps..." He sighed heavily, a hand running over his face as he closed his eyes.

She stepped forward, bare feet numb from the cold snow under her feet. "Milord, what troubles you?"

"I...have not fed since before I left the castle. I've been too worried as of late. Things from my past are coming back to haunt me. I can see them in the shadows, I can feel them when I drain a life from a body."

Placing a hand on his arm, Chi-Chi pulled the cloak closer around her naked form. "But you know that you cannot continue on if you do not have something to eat."

"I know, and I've gotten so slow that I cannot hunt any of the wildlife here..." Damian's form was slowly sliding down the trunk of the tree. He felt Chi-Chi kneel beside him, hand son his face as she turned it upwards to study for a few moments.

"Then feed off of me."

"What?"

"You need the strength, feed off of me."

"I ca...cannot."

Growling, she pulled his head to the junction of her neck where shoulder melted into the graceful column. "Feed." Hot breath stirred against her flesh. Pushing his head closer to her flesh, she commanded the word again. Parting his lips, he dragged the tip of his tongue across the supple skin and opened his mouth wider to pierce the neck with his fangs.

A cry broke out from her mouth as she felt blood leaving her, making her light headed. The sounds of his greedy gulps filled her ears before it died away to the steady drumming of her pulse. Tearing his head away, he panted; chest rising and falling with every intake of air. "I'm sorry.. I, I shouldn't have taken so much. Are you all right?"

Nodding, she found that her vision blurred. "Yes. I'm fine."

"Now what did you really come out here for?"

Licking her lips, Chi-Chi turned her head to look at him. "I believe I have found a way to heal Bulma."

"_What_?"

"Yes. That man I was telling you about, Vegeta they call him, he's Kingarni. Bulma's Kinlarni. Not exactly the same species but both were-felines. If I could take some of the blood from the man and somehow put it into her body..."

"Then she should be able to regain strength and fight off the poison." Damian finished for her.

They looked at each other for a few moments before Damian stood up and helped Chi-Chi to her feet. Their bodies had melted the snow around them and a passing figure could tell that people had rested there. "You're cold. We need to get you back to the castle. We shall try this idea of yours though I'm not exactly sure how it'll work."

"Me neither, but it's worth a try." Sliding the cloak off of her shoulders, she handed it back to Damian and nodded her head. "I shall see you back on this eve?"

"Aye. On this eve."

Her body shrank right before his eyes, bones melding and bending as skin grew feathers. In the matter of moments the woman that had been standing before him transformed into the great creature of the sky. Ruffling her feathers, she nodded once and took off with a loud screeching cry.

Relief washed over her mind even though her body seemed to be failing. Wings became harder to move up and down and soon she found herself forcing them to move up and down. Muscles screamed in agony as she willed herself to keep flying towards the speck in the North. Thinking of Bulma, her one and only true friend, laying on a bed in pain spurred her to move, what would have been her arms if she were in human form, faster.

The dot gradually grew bigger and bigger with each wing-beat and none to soon she flew into her own bedroom window, glad that she remembered to keep it open because it was then, as her form was gliding through the air, that her wings gave out and she was sent sliding head first, body changing as it moved, into the bedside table.

It wobbled, threatening to fall over and in its dance of gaining back its balance, a vase tumbled down the side and crashed loudly beside her head. The sound brought a pair of feet running as Elizabeth skidded into the room followed by Goku and Krillin. "Oh... oh no." The maid muttered as she came to a stop beside her fallen mistress.

"What is it?" Goku said as he stopped behind the woman to look over her shoulder. "Lady Chi- Chi!" he gasped. Her form was thrown on the floor, head and shoulders lodged under the side table while shards of thick glass decorated the floor with its dark purple beauty. He rushed to her side, feet crunching the glass under his boots, as he reached down and gathered her up.

She was cradled in his arms and when her head fell back he saw the bite mark. Elizabeth shook her head and went to the large over-stuffed bed with its purple cover and tossed it back. "Come set her down. She'll be all right. She's just tired that's all."

"But what about the blood and the mark? Who attacked her?" He walked to the middle of the bed and placed the woman in his arms gently onto its soft surface. Her hair fanned out against the pillow creating almost a perfect fanned shape. Chi-Chi didn't move at all, her fainted slumber too deep to be brought back so quickly.

"No one attacked her. I promise you when she gets a good nights rest she shall be feeling much better and then answer your questions."

Krillin held back away from the bed, his bald head turned to look out the window with a slow shake. There was something that someone wasn't telling either him or Goku, something very important. And yet he couldn't put his finger on it.

If the Lady Chi-Chi became so enraged with Goku for the simple fact that he hadn't told her that their Master and friend, was indeed not fully human they could get mad at her for withholding something so important from them.

"If she wasn't attacked, what happened to her?"

The maid looked up from rearranging the blankets over the woman's sleeping form. "Like I said before, she'll tell you when she's ready. Not before."

It was together that they heard the front doors to the castle burst open and feet running all about to see what the commotion was. "The Lord!" Elizabeth breathed as she took one last look at Chi- Chi before turning on her heel, grey skirt in hand and took off at a quick jog down the stairs. Goku and Krillin looked to each other with the shake of heads.

"What the hell!" An angry voice growled out from down the hallway. The two men broke out into smiles as they exited Chi-Chi's room and walked calmly down a few doors and into the red and gold room.

"You!" The angry man said from his spot on the bed. "Where am I?"

Goku broke into a grin. Their Master was starting to feel better. "You're here, Milord, because you were stabbed and this was the only place to go."

"Did they take that woman I've found myself stuck with?" Vegeta tried to move a little but found that the pain radiating from a spot on his side a little too fresh to jar.

"No, your wife-to-be is here as well."

"Damn. That's a bit disappointing." His black ears perked up from his hair and moved around slowly. Krillin looked at the man with wide eyes for he would have expected Vegeta to lay his life down to protect the woman that he chose to marry. Obviously he was wrong. Keniko, he agreed silently, wasn't the easiest person to get along with sometimes but she knew how to be sweet if she wanted to be. "Get me something to drink. Wine, rum, anything. I'm thirsty."

"Aye Milord." Goku smirked as he exited the room. Orders for Krillin were being shouted, echoing them down the halls. He walked passed Bulma's room and a flash of pink curls caught his attention. Stopping in the doorway, he took a silent step inside. Keniko was into the woman's closet holding things up to her chest before tossing them onto the floor.

It seemed that most of the dresses didn't seem to hold her attention as a large pile was in the middle of the floor. "What do you think you're doing?"

She let out a startled gasp and turned around, red velvet pressing to her chest. "Oh! Goku, you scared me."

"I asked you what you're doing. I hope you understand that this woman is sick and could be dying,"

"Good, she won't need her dresses then, and she surely won't miss this one."

"And I hope that you're going to clean this up as well."

"Please," Keniko laughed, brushed back a rogue curl that had slipped from its pin. "There are maids and servants to do that work. I'm not going to dirty my hands. Plus, I hear the man that lives here is pretty good looking. Now my fiancee is holed up in bed at the moment, wounded, I'm sure that I can get some attention," the last word was said with wiggled eyebrows and a silken whisper. "If you know what I mean."

"Disgusting woman." His fingers itched to wrap around her slender neck and twist it to such an angle that it snapped. But she was a lot stronger than she looked and more deadly that a bite from a poisonous spider. Goku heard her giggle from down the hall as he bounced down the spiraled set of stone stairs, and then down another set. Voices could be heard from behind a closed door and as he was about to bypass it, the wooden slab parted just a bit.

"Is there anything I can get for you Sir?"Elizabeth asked from the crack in the door.

"I need something to drink. Something strong for my Master."

"Oh," her eyes widened, "He's awake I see. I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere." The door closed and he was left staring at it. Something most defiantly wasn't right. They were hiding something and he needed to ind out what it was. "Here. Take this. It's only brandy, but it's the best that we've got in this room. I'm sorry but could you please go back upstairs and tend to your Master..."

"Thank you." He left the woman who watched him walk back up the stairs with slow steps. Only once he was out of sight did Elizabeth close the door and go back to the meeting that was going on behind the closed door. Turning, Goku headed back to the room where Vegeta was staying. He checked in on Chi-Chi, and then the woman's blue-haired friend, and then walked beside Vegeta with the bottle of brandy. "This is all that they had at the moment. It seems that they're in a meeting of some sorts."

"I don't care." It seemed that Krillin had propped pillows up behind his shoulders so that he was almost sitting up. His hand was held out as if expecting to have the whole bottle placed into his palm so he could nurse the amber liquid from the crystal bottle.

Goku didn't think so. There was a glass of water, Vegeta's water, on the bedside table so he had replaced the water with half a glass of brandy. "Here."

Looking into the cup, liquid swirling around with easy practiced wrist movements. "It seems to be of a good vintage." Heaving a shrug, Vegeta opened his mouth and swallowed the drink as it slid down his throat. Half a glass was gone in one long swallow.

"Well that was go–" He was interrupted by the sound of a pained cry, a cry that a woman makes when in serious agony. "What the hell is that?" Three pairs of eyes were turned to the general direction of the sound and Goku felt his forehead starting to sweat.

"I do believe that it's Lady Chi-Chi's friend."

The twisted moans were getting louder. "Who?"

"Lady Chi-Chi! She's the one that helped you."

"God damn it, that racket is more than I can take!" He threw the blankets back away from his sweating body and very carefully pushed himself away from the bed. Bare feet hit the foot and then slowly allowed the weight of the man to sturdy the shaking limbs.

"Milord, please you shouldn't be up! You're seriously injured!" A hand waved the protest away and Goku had no other option than to close his mouth.

"Wounded or not, how the hell is a man supposed to relax with that kind of noise going on in the next room?" His panther ears twitched forward as another pained sound came from the room next to his, this time with the hint of an underlying growl. This caught his interest. Slowly moving his form from the bed to the open door way, his black eyes first scanned the room.

Blue and silver. _Hn, such a woman's room. _His tail unwound itself from around his hips, flicking bach and forth smoothly as he took a step into the room. The first thing that caught his attention was the azure hair fanned out across silver pillows. Next his eyes slide with slow ease from bare shoulders to the cuffs around the woman's wrists.

She let out another scream, this time the sound vibrated off of the walls in the hallway, echoing its way downstairs. Orders were faint voices in the vast halls and yet Vegeta heard them. It seemed that there was something seriously wrong with woman who was lying before him. "Chi- Chi! We _need_ Chi-Chi!" A rough voice shouted as the figure ran up the stairs.

"Yes Milord!"

"What are you doing in here?"

Vegeta turned around and instantly his eyes narrowed. "This wench was disturbing my sleep." His tail shot around his waist once more, the tip of his tail brushing against the well worn fabric of his black pants. Blond hair moved smoothly around the man's back as he stepped into the room and walked towards Vegeta. Stepping out of the way when he saw that tell-tale dead look in vibrant blue eyes, he let the man pass him. The man had triggered something in his memory and he felt like he had seen this man before. But where?

"She's not doing so good."

"Damian! My god, what's going on?" Chi-Chi yawned as she ran into the room, her purple dress robe billowing out behind her. "Bulma!" Running to her friends' side, she whipped back the blankets and then pointed to the damp cloth. Damian handed it to her and watched as she wiped away some black ooze that had broken from the skin.

Vegeta's eyes widened as he stared at the woman's chest.

From collar bone to naval was nothing more than an inflamed swollen mass of black and red. He could feel the burning stench of flesh from where he stood. The skin on her sides were bright red and starting to blister. "This woman's burning frm the inside!" He whispered

"We have to do something Chi-Chi! Anything! Look at her skin, look how it's seeping that black liquid!"

It was as if her pores had opened and decided to push out a dark substance as little beads collected on the all ready swollen, burnt flesh. It hissed as it made contact with the air. Pale eyelids shot open to reveal lifeless blue eyes. "My god!"

Chi-Chi looked into the face of her best friend and let out an involuntary squeak as she saw that the blue eyes were no longer just blue, but laced with black as well. The bonds were the only things that held Bulma's hands away from her chest as she screamed again. "You!" Chi-Chi's jumped up and walked to the very stunned Vegeta. "We need your help."

A smirk crossed Vegeta's lips. "Why?" His arms lifted to fold over his chest.

"She's dying! We need your help!"

"I need a better reason then that."

Chi-Chi let out a growl and stalked to the man, tears in her dark eyes. "She's my best friend! She's dying. If you cannot help us then the only thing left for me in this world is the bitter days and empty promises of a sweet death that is out of my reach. She is my friend! You are a stranger here, a guest, and you have to listen to me. Please.. Please..." Chi-Chi's head dropped to her chest for a quick moment. "If you don't help, so help me God I am going to make your life a living hell."

His smirk widened. "It already is a living hell. You know nothing of it. But yes. I shall help you. Tell me what I have to do."

Everything around the room stopped. There was no noise coming from Bulma. Damian let out a soft moan, cold hands lifting up to shake Bulma's shoulders. "She...dead..."

Chi-Chi whirled around and let out a cry before she threw herself against the still form of her friend. "No!" Hands clutched at the woman, sobs shaking her shoulders as she shook the pale, burning body of her friend. "No!" Damian looked out the window, the night sky starting to lighten.

With a strangled moan, he jumped up and flew from the room.


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N:_ I know that in the last chapter, it was chapter four, that was my mistake. Will fix it when I feel up to it. This is Chapter four, that was chapter three. I'm sure you guys are smart enough to have figured that out. Just letting you all know that, no, Vegeta isn't a vampire. It'll all be explained in the later chapters.

**Chapter Four:**

_::You know what you have to do in order to save all World Kind from total destruction. You know what you have to do so do it. Your epic journey begins here more so than it did on the day you made your vow my son:: _A warm tingle shot down his spine, fingers becoming warm as his vision blurred out of focus.

Memories that he thought he had pushed away came flooding back to the surface of his mind and he found himself staring out the window and into another time. He was taken back, way back until he was only the tender age of 6.

She stood against the wall, pale hands pressed against the cool surface as her right cheek lies against it, chilling her fevered flesh. Teary blue eyes look out from under dark lashes towards the shadowed corner, liquid seeping from her eyes; dripping down her flesh and off of her chin. The fingers of her left hand curls, nails wanting to dig into the wall as they raked away some of the paint. Sobs broke through her slightly parted lips, teeth clenching together as she tries to ebb away the choking sound that came from her throat. Ebony tumbled down her back, the waves reaching her hips and stopping against the blackish blue fabric of her full skirt. Bare shoulders move softly as she cries, tears falling quicker from the blue orbs, flooding her cheeks with their salty drops. Lids falling closed as she fights to hold herself up. She didn't see or hear the little figure that was sitting in a tree, trying to block out the noise from the party.

The blue black of her skirt catches on a tack in the wall as she turns to leave, pulling the material away from her body. But she doesn't notice. Pale fingers wrap around the black velvet choker around her neck, the strip falling from her flesh as she tugs sharply. Leaving the secluded darkness of her self-inflicted prison, she gathers up her skirt in her left hand, walking out of the door and into the unsuspecting night. Tilting her face upwards, she gazes painfully on the stars that shone brightly in their indigo blanket, dancing to a silent waltz. Everything around her danced, and yet she was the only one that was left out. Stepping towards the thick covering of the outstretched forest, she melts away into the shadows, leaving behind a world of happiness. Dark eyes look down from their spot in the tree, watching with young curiosity.

The moonlight vaguely seeped through the dense canopy, decorating choice rocks and twigs with its silvery rays, giving them a coating of glitter. Her feet were bare, having lost her shoes long ago in the flight away from the light and she had to step carefully, aware of the sharp rocks and sticks that could easily puncture the tender flesh of her feet. She walks into a clearing filled with the colors of the rainbow, wildflowers waving a greeting to her as the breeze tickles and caresses each petal and stem. Nocturnal birds call out to each other in salutations, welcoming the inky night with song. Kneeling to the ground, her skirt flaring out around her folded knees; she sits in the serene stillness surrounded by the playful flowers as they brush against the flesh of her arms. His small frame kept silently to the shadows as he watched for a few minutes, looking and waiting to see what was going to happen. 

Gathering up a handful of wild daisies, she holds them to her corset-incased torso as she slowly stands up. Stray leaves and fallen petals found themselves attached to her skirt as she walks out of the pale clearing and back into the darkness once more. She knew the path well, her feet needing no guidance from her eyes, as she had walked to her destination many times before. The bubbling of a wide pool makes her eyes lift from looking at the whiteness of the silken petals of the flowers in her hands. Right hand letting go, she holds onto the rough bark of a low branch, holding her up until she found her footing to the shallows of the lake. Water wetting her skirt as she walks farther and farther into the frigid liquid until she stands waist-deep, sad eyes looking out all around her observing and taking in the tranquil sights before her. Something wasn't right and he knows this now. Turning around, he run as quickly as he can back into the house to find his father.

A doe and her fawn were drinking at the lake-edge, their tawny fur golden as the moon found its way to the forest pool. She walked deeper, the water now covering her shoulders, hands once more clutching the flowers to her breast. Raven locks float out behind her in wet strands, acting like a cape as she walked deeper yet, water coming to her chin. Everything becomes silent as she turns around and stretches out onto her back. Opening her mouth, water floods into the entrance as she swallows it. The weight of her body makes her drop deeper under the water as she stares at the shimmering surface. The daisies leave her hands and float to the still face of the lake, fingertips outstretching to snatch the flowers back to her chest though she grabs nothing but water. Shoulders reach the bottom of the lake first, the sand biting into her flesh, hair floating out around her ominously. Her skirt billows out around her legs as the currents in the pool make it drift to and fro, hints of pale skin showing every few moments.

Booted feet run through the forest only minutes later led by a man with the little boy in his arms. They stopped at the edge of the pool and looked down to see what once was a beautiful woman in life and only to become an ugly woman in death. Her hair fanned upwards, blocking the sight of her face as she lay in the bottom of the woodland lake, hands resting neatly at her sides. Black ears were lifted, the moonlight dancing off of the pale flesh on the inside of the furred surface while her slender tail drifted around with the undercurrent. She was dead.

The little boy wiggled free from his fathers arms and ran to the edge of the lake to look down at his mother. Tears flood from his dark eyes as his tail hung limply behind his back as his hands curled into fists, nails digging into the tender flesh of his young palms. "Mater." He whimpered, sliding to the ground, knees becoming damp.

"Come Vegeta...there is nothing more we can do here. Your mother is dead." His fathers voice was cold and uncaring, almost as if he never loved the woman that lay, sleeping for the rest of eternity under the blanket of the lake. The little boy wouldn't move from his spot, eyes glazing over as tears ran over his human face. "I said come!"

"I'm not leaving! I'm not leaving mater!" Rough hands picked up the little boy by wrapping themselves around his small torso. Strong digits crushed against flexible ribs forcing them to cave in making Vegeta gasp out in pain.

"She's dead. If she loved you, she's have stayed alive. She didn't love you."

His young mind couldn't take the torment any longer and as his body was picked up off of the ground, his legs lashed out behind him. Vegeta was dropped to the ground as his father let out a grunt of pain and doubled over. Scrambling away and back to the water's edge, he jumped in and tugged on his mother's ankle, the only part that he could reach, back to the waters edge.. "MATER! MATER DON'T LEAVE ME! DON'T LEAVE ME MATER!" The little voice rang through the trees, bouncing off of the thick trunks to make its way to the stars. _Please Mater, I will do anything, anything for you to come back. Anything. I promise Mater, if there is anything I can do for you...I shall do it. I promise. I promise with all of my heart._

The smell of lilies drifted to his nose as a warming touch landed on his shoulder. _::My dearest child, my little love. I have always loved you and always will love you. I have failed in my task of breaking the evil from the world. When you are older you shall understand what it is that I have been trying to do. You must seek out one that is of our own, but isn't like us. She will be different in ways and yet she will need your help. Help her Vegeta, help her to know what life is. Together you two will be able to force out the spells that have bound hearts with evil. It is up to you, my little love to ensure that all World Kind is kept safe. Your task will not be easy but you will have help when you need it. Don't turn your back on your friends but watch out for your father. On the eve of your eleventh birthday he shall do something that will harm you. Avoid that. Run away my love, run away and never look back. You shall find friends in places you did not expect. Promise me. Promise me that the eve before your birthday you shall run away::_

_I promise Mater...I promise!_

_::When you go, make sure to take with you the Circlet of Manjan-Til. It'll be one of the weapons to help in the war that is going to come. I wish I was there to help you my son. I wish that I was still there. Know that in your heart I shall be watching over you and will send help when I can. You will never be alone. You might feel that you're alone, but you never will be::_

"Bulma!" The room was just as it was, Chi-Chi still sobbing over Bulma's dead body. The smell of Damian was still thick in the air which had meant that while he was locked in the hours of his memories, seconds had only passed in the real world. Fingertips itched with heat as it spiralled up to his palms, then his arms, and then down his body. He knew what he had to do. Running into the room that was appointed his he dashed over to the pile of clothing that was folded on a chair. Picking up his great cape, he ripped apart the living and shoved his arm into the hole that it had created.

His hand wrapped around a warm piece of metal and pulled it through. Links clinked together as he dropped the cape to the floor and then ran back into the room. "Move!" he barked out, pushing Chi-Chi away from the deceased woman. Crawling up onto the bed, he placed both of his knees on either side of her thighs and bent his head down to the burnt, poisoned flesh. Resting his hands on either side of the woman's head, he bent forward and placed his lips just over her heart.

Fingers dug into the bed silken sheets wrinkling under his tight grip as his lips parted and his teeth bit into the burning flesh. The black liquid tasted like burnt flesh as he sucked some of it into his mouth. Once he got a full mouthful, he looked around, eyes tearing up as the substance burnt away all of the tender flesh inside his mouth. There was a silver jug beside the table holding water and he spit the poison into it. Every one looked on as Vegeta held the jug, and some shining links around his fist. Again and again the process was repeated until he thought that he could no longer take holding the vile stuff in his mouth. After the last mouthful, blood now pooled into the water, mixing with the blackness.

No one said anything as they all watched Vegeta. Chi-Chi had wrapped her arms around herself, Goku moving closer to her to put an arm around her shoulder, pressing her close to his side. Krillin stood beside Goku with his eyes wide. Would it be possible that this man had the power to draw out the poison? It looked as if he was, spitting mouthful upon mouthful of the dreaded substance into the water jar. Was it possible that he could bring life back into the lifeless body?

A full two minutes had passed since Bulma had taken her last breath though Vegeta had yet to stop his mouth from drawing out more of the poison. Then something happened. Chi-Chi let out a gasp as the black mark that had marred Bulma's torso started to fade. Vegeta took out another mouthful, and replaced his lips, cheeks sinking in as he sucked furiously over the woman's heart. At least, instead of the burning, he felt something warmer, something more soothing enter his mouth. Blood, her blood. He spit it into the jug and pulled his mouth away. Her chest and stomach were no longer inflamed and black, but milky white and very raw looking. But his job wasn't done. She had lost a lot of blood and it needed to be replaced, but in order for it to be replaced, she needed to be alive.

Bringing up his fist, he unclasped his fingers from around the metal links that he clutched in his hand and spread the two edges out so that they draped over her neck. The thin pieces of metal were not just any metal, but silver and gold. Each were an inch wide and squared at the edges. In the center, however, was a small blue stone embedded on ivory wings. It rested between her collarbones and laid flat.

"_I call upon the powers of the mighty Manjan-Til Goddess of Life. Hear my prayers and let this woman's heart beat once more. I command you, Circlet of Manjan-Til, obey my orders and let your Goddess' grace fill this body!"_

A whispered gasp parted Bulma's lips as her chest rose upwards. The hard part was over. Lifting his wrist to his lips, his teeth quickly tore open a small wound. Moving to sit beside her head, he placed his bleeding wrist over her lips and rubbed the wound against them. They parted slowly, allowing the life-force to enter her mouth. She swallowed, and then swallowed again. He pulled back only after he became dizzy. She lay, breathing in heavy gulps on the bed, the wound on her heart slowly closing over.

He was about to remove the Circlet from around her next when it flashed with yellow, encasing Bulma with the hued haze. He tried to look but couldn't as his eyes were forced away from the figure to look at the floor. No one could see what was going on, no one was allowed to see.

And then it was gone, as quickly as it came. He smelled lilies for a quick moment before it faded away with the light. Bulma lay sleeping peacefully, the Circlet still on her flesh and as he pulled it away he wasn't the only one that let out a startled gasp for there, resting between her collarbones was the exact replica of the wings that were just there.

"It is done." Vegeta stood up from the bed and took a few staggering steps forward before he started to sway. Strong arms caught him as his eyes rolled into his head and he fainted with exhaustion.

Goku looked over his shoulder at Chi-Chi as she stood dumbfounded staring at her best friend who was dead as dead could be minutes ago, sleeping peacefully. Shaking her head she quickly undid the restraints and threw them to the floor. That was when she saw the pile of gowns littering the ground and there was only one person she could think of that would have such disrespect.

Keniko.


	5. Clarification

First things first. Please forgive me if I'm not making the story clear enough for you all. I just write so fast and don't take the time to re-re-read it to see if it makes sense. I see something in my mind and I do my best to write it out as quickly as I can.

This is just going to be some explanations about the story and their characters.

**Chi-Chi:** She's a healer, and a shifter. Turns into a Snowy Owl. Lives with Damian in the Castle as a friend and residential healer.

**Damian:** Otherwise known as Lord Gale. Vampire. The rest of his history will come out in the story. Let's just say...it's going to be twisted and quite unique.

**Bulma:** _Kinlarni_ – Were-Leopard. She looks just like a human except for the snow-leopards ears and tail. The tail she keeps wrapped around her waist unless she's happy or angry. She can shift down tot he great cat any time that she wants to but more often than not it's happened when she's vexed with someone. Damian's fiancé.

**Vegeta: **_Kingarni_ – Were-Panther. Like Bulma, he looks just like a human, save for the ears and tail. His past is now starting to show (was a flashback in chapter 4 with the , sorry my fault for not pointing that out). We know that his mother has committed suicide and that his dad is a bit of a grump. Later on, it'll explain everything to do with the Circlet and everything like that. Give it some time loves, for the story to really unfold.

Other than that, there is Goku, and Krillin from the series, but that's about it. They're not too important to the story, and soon enough you'll meet a few of my own characters, both good and evil.

The story has no real set time line, it's just there. They don't have any powers from the series, they can't fly (unless they shift into birds, and only Chi-Chi can do that), and they don't have Chi-blasts. They use weapons. Every-day normal weapons. Swords, bows.. You get the gist of it.

Now, for the important thing:

**I am sorry that I'm such a lazy little person and that I haven't put out another chapter for Black Sunrise. Just letting you know that it's in the works and this time I'm HAPPY with it. That's all that the problem was for the last month. I just couldn't get it to work out for me. But after some brainstorming with a friend I think I've gotten it all worked out. Please, please forgive me for such a late chapter when it's been promised to you many times before. **

All my love,

Kit.


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